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Preview: NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs (First Round)

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers (61-21) vs. (8) Chicago Bulls (41-41)

The last time these two teams faced each other on April 8^th, Chicago pulled off a thrilling victory that helped launch them into the playoffs over the Toronto Raptors. Problem is, the Bulls did so without soon to-be MVP LeBron James, who was resting before the start of the playoffs. This time around, James has promised the Bulls that they will face a “different monster” in the playoffs. Sporting the league’s best record this season, the Cavaliers are well equipped to make a strong run to Championship. Since his arrival in Cleveland, Coach Mike Brown has stressed defense and his team has responded — The Cavs ranked third in the league in Opponents field goal percentage (44.2%) this season. Cleveland also kept opponents off the glass; the team led the league in rebound differential (3.93), showing that they rarely give teams second chances on defense. Chicago on the other hand had a very up and down season. Amidst rumors of Coach Vinny Del Negro’s firing, cap clearing trades, front office disputes, and a key injury to the improved Joakim Noah, the Bulls struggled midway through the season before making a late push into the playoffs (12-17 in February and March, including a 10-game losing streak). The Bulls’ success in this series depends on the play of second year All-Star guard Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah (6-12 with Noah out of the lineup). Rose will need to shoot well from the field and use his ability to get into the paint at will to set up his teammates. Without departed guard Ben Gordon’s scoring and ability to make big shots for Chicago this year, Rose, Noah, and forward Luol Deng must transform the Bulls into a team of overachievers: the Bulls must play above their heads offensively and work hard on keeping LeBron James out of the paint — very difficult goals to accomplish four times out of seven games for a series victory. Joakim Noah has proclaimed that the Bulls plan on “shocking the world” by defeating Cleveland. LeBron James, along with a revamped supporting class which includes a returning Shaquille O’Neal (torn thumb ligaments), trade deadline acquisition Antawn Jamison, and Mo Williams, will make sure that Noah’s prediction won’t come true.

Prediction: Cavaliers in Five

(2) Orlando Magic (59-23) vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats (44-38)

The defending eastern conference champion Orlando Magic hope to return to the NBA finals. Don’t let the high number of threes per game (27.3) the Magic shoot fool you: the team ranked in the top 5 in nearly every defensive category this season. Behind superstar center Dwight Howard, point guard Jameer Nelson, and forward Rashard Lewis, the Magic take on the Charlotte Bobcats, who made the playoffs for the first time in their 6 year history.  Since acquiring Steven Jackson from the Warriors, the Bobcats have played with a confidence and swagger that propelled the team into the playoffs. The Bobcats rank 1^st in the NBA in defensive efficiency and though they struggle to consistently score, they do a great job of controlling the tempo of their games.  The Magic have the ability to sweep the Bobcats, provided they make their threes. However, it’s a well known fact that at times the team gets away from getting Dwight Howard the ball. Combine this fact with an off-shooting night, and Charlotte may be able to steal a game or two. Otherwise, look for the Magic to beat Larry Brown, Captain Jack, and the Bobcats.

Prediction: Magic in Five

(3) Atlanta Hawks (53-29) vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)

The Milwaukee Bucks have built off of last season’s 34 win campaign behind the development of their young players. Rookie Brandon Jennings, who generated some buzz around the league after a 55 point game in November, has since cooled off and shot 35% from the field from January to April. Much of the Bucks’ success this season should be credited to the lesser known talent on the roster. 2005 #1 overall pick Andrew Bogut stepped his game up this season, averaging 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. However, after dislocating his right elbow in an April 3 game against Phoenix, he will be out for the playoffs. It will be up to unproven forwards Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to provide offensive and defensive support. Veterans Kurt Thomas, John Salmons, Carlos Delfino, Luke Ridnour, Jerry Stackhouse also headline a Bucks team that is eyeing an upset. Head Coach Scott Skiles is a serious coach of the year candidate, he got his team to work hard every night and squeezed every ounce out of the talent he was given. But is Milwaukee’s improvement this season enough for the Atlanta Hawks to “Fear the Deer”? Atlanta is the most athletic team in the NBA; few teams can match the Hawks’ explosiveness in a frontcourt that features Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, and Al Horford. In the backcourt, Mike Bibby will have his hands full dealing with Brandon Jennings, but the veteran guard is never afraid of taking the big shot. The Bucks also have no answer for the Hawks’ quiet, yet immensely talented leading man Joe Johnson. Sixth-man of the year candidate Jamal Crawford is impossible to guard when hot, making up for an otherwise underwhelming bench that features the likes of Zaza Pachulia, Jeff Teague, and Mo Evans.  Brandon Jennings has slowed down since his hot start, but with his lightning-quick first step and Milwaukee’s hardnosed style of play, the Bucks will make Atlanta work in order to make it to the second round.  To win a game, the Bucks will have to shoot well from the field and make sure they provide extra help on defense now that Andrew Bogut won’t be providing a shot-blocking presence. Atlanta will win this series, but the Bucks will go down swinging.

Prediction: Hawks in Six

(4) Boston Celtics (50-32) vs. (5) Miami Heat (47-35)

Does it feel like the Celtics won 50 games this year? After winning the title in 2008, the Celtics have looked old, slow, and indifferent on the court. Since starting the season at 23-8 the Celtics played near .500 basketball (27-24) from January to the end of the season. The Celtics’ team mantra “Ubuntu” calls for team generosity and a strong sense of community. However, 2009-2010 Celtics season hasn’t been filled with peace and happiness. Boston has a laundry list on issues on and off the court. Kevin Garnett has looked gimpy since undergoing knee procedures. GM Danny Ainge’s questioning of Rajon Rondo’s maturity led to trade rumors over the summer. Ray Allen’s name was also mentioned in trade rumors. Some have been calling for the firing of Coach Doc Rivers. The offseason signing of Rasheed Wallace hasn’t gone as planned; Wallace shot a career worst 40.9% from the field and 28.3% from behind the arc this season. Trade Deadline acquisition Nate Robinson has not provided the spark off the bench the Celtics hoped he would. There have even been rumors circulating that there is some locker room friction between the Celtics “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett and the younger starters, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. The Celtics take all of their baggage into their first round matchup against the Miami Heat. The Miami Heat are all about Dwayne Wade. Wade leads the worst supporting cast in the playoffs in a matchup against the 2008 champs. The key for a Miami series victory is plain and simple: Dwyane Wade be Dwyane Wade and carry the Heat on his back offensively. He has to shoot well from the field, get to the line, and find open shots for his teammates. The Heat must also continue to play the solid defense that guided them to the second best Opponents field goal percentage in the NBA (43.9%).  As far as first round matchups go in the east, Miami has the greatest chance to pull off an upset. Yet despite the Celtics’ internal troubles, they still have enough talent to beat the Heat. The team issues may resurface to trip the Celtics up in the second round, but they should be able to handle Dwyane Wade’s outbursts over the course of a 7 game series.

Prediction: Celtics in 7

Preview: NBA Western Conference Playoffs (First Round)

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Reg. season: LAL 3-1)

Defending champs vs. the new kids on the block. Injuries have hampered the Lakers, who limped into the playoffs, finishing the regular season on a poor stretch losing 7 of their last 11 games. Andrew Bynum has not been ruled out of the first round series with the Thunder, but his Achilles injury will more than likely limit his minutes. With or without Bynum, the interior advantage of the Lakers will prove to be the deciding factor. As much young talent as the Thunder have, Serge Ibaka, Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison cannot match-up with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom for the Lakers. That being said, do not expect the Sonics to go down easily. Kevin Durant is all who he is hyped to be, a prolific scorer who can carry a team in the final minutes of a game. KD35, or the Durantula, was the youngest scoring leader ever at just 21 years of age, averaging 30.1 points per game. But the Sonics (oops, I meant Thunder) are more than just Durant. Russell Westbrook, a scoring point guard, leads the team with 8.0 assists per game, also scoring 16.1 points per game. Their third leading scorer, Jeff Green (15.1 ppg, 45% field goal percentage) keeps defenses honest at the other wing position. With their top 4 scorers all under the age of 24 (James Harden at 9.9 ppg is the fourth), the OKC Thunder are extremely young. This is the first playoff experience for many of these guys. Without a proper big man, the Thunder cannot put away Kobe and the experienced Lakers. Lakers win in seven games.

Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz (Reg. season: DEN 3-1)

Both teams finished the regular season at 53-29, but Denver will have home-court advantage in this 4 vs. 5 matchup. Again, injuries will play a crucial role in this playoff series, as Utah will not have Andrei Kirilenko who strained his left calf. Kirilenko’s injury comes at the worst possible time for the Jazz as Carlos Boozer (oblique) and Mehmet Okur (Achilles) are already playing hurt. For Denver, Kenyon Martin has been playing with a knee injury which has limited his minutes, but the more important storyline is the absence of head coach George Karl. Karl is battling throat cancer and will most likely miss the first round series against the Jazz. Both teams have tremendous records in their home arenas, but Denver is not playing its best basketball (losing 7 of 12 to finish the season). Deron Williams will finally show everyone he is the best point guard in the West not named Steve Nash (Yes, he’s better than Chris Paul). Expect Williams to dominate Chauncey Billups in the head-to-head matchup. Boozer will play enough to get the job done for the Jazz. Jazz win in six games.

Phoenix Suns vs. Portland Trailblazers (Reg. season: POR 2-1)

Another exciting series in the West hurt by injuries. The Portland Trailblazers took a huge hit to their chances in the playoffs with news that Brandon Roy will have arthroscopic knee surgery. Roy will miss one to two weeks, leaving him out of the first round entirely. The Trailblazers were a potential first-round upset pick, but losing their leading scorer paves the way for the Suns. The Suns have been without their center Robin Lopez for some time with a back injury, but they have looked sharp in recent weeks.  Phoenix won 14 for their last 16 to close the season, including wins over Portland, San Antonio, Denver and Utah (twice). Steve Nash is 36 years old, but still playing his best basketball averaging 16.5 points per game and an astonishing 11 assists per game. And this year, Amare Stoudemire has finally shown up, leading the Suns with 23.1 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and 55.7% field goal percentage. The Suns run-and-gun their way to an easy series victory against the injury-riddled Blazers. Suns win in five games.

Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs (Reg. season: DAL 3-1)

The 3 vs. 6 matchup in the West is perhaps the most intriguing of the entire playoffs with a surging San Antonio Spurs taking on the powerful Mavs. In the last 3 weeks, the Spurs have defeated Cleveland, Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles Lakers, and Denver. This is a team with championship experience, but many people criticize them for being “too old.” Well it’s true that their two best players are 33 (Duncan) and 32 (Ginobili). Tim Duncan hasn’t exactly looked like the All-NBA player we’ve grown accustomed to watching the last 12 years; however, Manu Ginobili has been unreal as of late, averaging over 21 points per game in March and April, well above his season average of 16.5 ppg. This includes terrific performances against Atlanta, Orlando and Los Angeles in which he scored 38, 43, and 32 points respectively. But, Tony Parker has played limited minutes since his return after breaking a bone in his right hand causing him to miss 16 games.  Unfortunately, for the Spurs, Dallas is the better team this year. Dirk Nowitzki is playing well as always (25 ppg, 7.7 rebounds per game, 48% FG) and Jason Kidd still gets the job done as the distributor averaging just over 9 assists per game. Deadline acquisitions Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler may be the last piece of the puzzle for Mark Cuban’s Mavs, as Haywood is playing well on interior defense leading the team with over 2 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Caron Butler at 16.3 ppg gives the Mavericks another perimeter scoring threat to complement Jason Terry (16.6 ppg) and Shawn Marion (12 ppg). Mavs win in six games.